A space for founders, freelancers and side hustlers to talk about the hard stuff.
We're a community where those building something (whatever the size, shape, scale or stage) can come and be listened to, or simply listen, without judgment or solutions.
We're not a space to talk about growth, optimisation or performance. We're a space to talk about stress, burnout, pressure and the feeling like you're just making it up.
6 sessions
Founder life can be pretty tough
Building something from nothing is exhilarating. It's also lonely, relentless, and full of pressure nobody warned you about. And on top of that you always seem to feel like you're on the precipice of failure.
When things are hard, the story is normally do more. More hours. More hustle. More focus. But we think that's bullsh*t and the research backs us up!
of founders show signs of mental health strain – with anxiety levels five times the national average.
of founders report feeling chronically lonely.
of founders described their current mental health as "bad" or "very bad".
Sources: Founder Resilience Research Report 2024, UCL School of Management & Sifted Founder Mental Health Survey.
And holding it all in has a cost.
It creeps in quietly: 2AM spirals, decision fatigue, the people closest to you getting the cranky and anxious version of you. For plenty of founders, it's burnout and stress – not the idea – that gets in the way of their ambition.
Say hello to
Making it Up
A small, fortnightly online group for founders, freelancers and side hustlers. Somewhere to drop the version of you that you perform for clients, investors and LinkedIn, and be honest about how it's really going. Facilitated by Dan, an exited founder now training as a therapist.
Every two weeks, online, in a small group. Share as much or as little as you like. Each session follows the same simple shape:
Arrive and check in
A minute to land, then two minutes each on how you're really doing. No advice, no fixing.
Explore a theme
A new one each fortnight, from dropping the mask to the fear of failing. Share as much or as little as you like.
Reflect together
What stayed with you from hearing everyone else. Usually where “it's not just me” kicks in.
Check out
One thing to take with you, or one thing to leave behind, before you head back to work.
What we're not
Because founders get enough of this everywhere else, we promise:
This isn't therapy, and it isn't a masterclass. It's the bit in between that founders don't get anywhere else.
Why “Making it Up”? Because most of us are. And that's not failure – it's the job.
Nobody hands you a manual for this. You're figuring out the offer, the team, the money, and yourself, all at the same time, often alone. Making it Up isn't a place that pretends to have the answers. It's a group of people making it up right alongside you – with honesty and curiosity.
Somewhere to put it down.
This isn't therapy, and we won't promise to fix anything. What a room like this can give you is simpler – and often exactly what's missing. You'll feel...
Lighter
You leave having said the thing you've been carrying – out loud, to people who get it.
Less alone
Hearing others describe your 2am thoughts helps you see you're not on your own.
Clearer
Not because anyone told you what to do, but because you finally had room to think.
Pull up a chair.
The first circle starts in January 2027 (date TBC), and there are just eight seats at the table. Join the waitlist and you'll be the first to hear when applications open – no commitment, no hard sell. Just an open invitation to a room where you can stop holding it all together for a while.
Join the waitlist. It only takes a minute.
Hear first. When applications open for January, you'll hear before anyone else.
Have a chat, take your seat. A short, no-pressure conversation to check it's the right room for you.
Circle #1
You're on the list.
We'll email you before anyone else when applications open for January. No obligation – you can decide then.
Who it's for
Those who are tired of holding it together alone.
First-timers and third-timers. Bootstrapped and funded. People who are doing fine and people who are having a wobble. Those proudly not the finished article.
Maybe it's the "everyone else seems to have it figured out" feeling, or just wanting a room where you don't have to perform. That's enough.
You'll be in a small group of people who get it, every fortnight, with no pitching, no fixing and nothing to prove.
You're looking for a mastermind, a growth hack, or someone to tell you what to do next.
There are plenty of those already.
Making it Up is a confidential peer space, not therapy or clinical support. It isn't suitable if you're currently in crisis, living with serious mental illness, or receiving significant secondary care. If that's you, please contact your GP, NHS 111 (option 2) or Samaritans on 116 123.
“Just having someone who's been there, who can ask the right questions and listen, makes a huge difference.”
Who's behind it?
Hey 👋 I'm Dan.
A couple of years ago I built and exited a business of my own. After the initial high came a long, disorienting stretch recovering from burnout, finding who I am without my business and figuring out what comes next. Turns out “what's next” was training to become a therapist, which I'm doing now alongside advising other founders on their journey.
I'm not your therapist, and I won't pretend to be. But I know what it feels like to build something from nothing – the highs, the guilt, the 2AM spiral – and I'm learning, properly, how to sit with people in the hard bits without rushing to fix them. That's what I'm bringing into this room.
Privacy notice
The short version: we only use what you tell us to review your application, get in touch, and run the group. We never sell it, and you can ask us to delete it any time.
Who we are
Making it Up is a peer support community for founders. If you have any questions about your data, email [ADD CONTACT EMAIL].
What we collect
Whatever you put in the application form: your name, email and phone number, what you're building, your stage and funding, and anything you choose to share about why you want to join and how you're doing.
Why we use it
To review your application, contact you to arrange a chat, and run the pilot if you join. We do this because you've asked to be considered, and it's in our legitimate interest to choose a group that works for everyone. Anything personal you share about your wellbeing, we use only with your explicit consent (the tickbox on the form), and you can withdraw that at any time. If you tick the updates box, we'll also email you about future groups and events. You can unsubscribe whenever you like.
Who else sees it
Only the Making it Up team reads your application. It isn't shared with other members. Submissions are stored by Webflow, our website provider, which may hold data in the US under approved safeguards. The form is protected by Google reCAPTCHA, which checks for spam and is covered by Google's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
How long we keep it
If you join, we keep your details while you're a member and for up to 12 months after. If you don't join, we delete your application within 12 months.
Your rights
You can ask to see, correct or delete your data, object to how we use it, or withdraw your consent, just by emailing us. If you're unhappy with how we've handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
Last updated September 2026